Remaking the Hexagon

Although every European nation has been adjusting to the dramatic transformations on the continent since the end of the Cold War, France's struggle to adapt has been particularly difficult. In response to both external and internal pressures, the nation is now questioning many basic assumptions about how France should be governed, what the objectives of national policies should be, and ultimately what it means to be French. This collection of writings by French and American historians, economists and political scientists explores various aspects of France's crisis of identity. The contributors offer differing perspectives on the issues at the heart of the country's debate about its future, beginning with an examination of how France's historical legacy has influenced the way in which the nation confronts contemporary problems. They also explore the repercussions of a more open approach to trade, the changes in elite structures, and the evolution of the party system.